French Open 2011: 5 Reasons Andy Murray Can Finally Break Through

French Open 2011: 5 Reasons Andy Murray Can Finally Break Through

However, as with all British men's singles players in my lifetime, sometimes he gets a bit frustrating. He's unquestionably the best of the crop we've had in the last 30 years, but will he ever make the breakthrough and get a Grand Slam?

Well, since you ask, yes, he will—and he can do it at Roland Garros. Here's why.

French Open 2011: 1. Andy Murray Has the Grand Slam Experience to Win

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After his disappointment in Melbourne and his woeful year up until the last six weeks, he knows what he needs to do to succeed at Roland Garros.

French Open 2011: 2. Andy Murray's Clay-Court Game Has Improved

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He's worked incredibly hard to get his clay-court game up to the high standards he's set for himself on hard courts and grass—and we saw the results in Monte Carlo, Madrid and Rome.

French Open 2011: 3. Andy Murray Is Contrary

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He’ll win his first Grand Slam at a time when the odds are stacked against him, he's had a poor year overall and he doesn’t have a full-time, top-flight coach—like now.

French Open 2011: 4. Roland Garros Is Andy Murray's Odd Slam out

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Murray has reached at least the semifinal in all of the other Grand Slams. In the French, his best is a quarterfinal place. He needs to improve that record sharpish.

French Open 2011: 5. Men's Field Is Topsy-Turvy

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The other top seeds are having odd patches of form. Rafael Nadal is the undisputed king of clay, but he’s suffered ill health recently, and Roger Federer’s on a heck of a slump (by his standards).

Obviously Novak Djokovic, Murray’s peer and recent adversary, is on an incredible unbeaten streak and is going into the tournament in extraordinary shape. Only last week Djokovic triumphed over Murray yet again, knocking him out in Rome in an epic encounter.

Maybe this time Murray can overcome his nemesis.

Do you think this is Murray's time? Or are we going to have to pin all our hopes on Wimbledon—again?